牛津书虫系列《牙齿和爪子》Chapter1 附中英双语文本

One day the aunt had the most terrible toothache． It con tinued for three days． Morning and evening Conradin put salt in front of his god． In the end he almost believed that Sredni Vashtar himself had sent the toothache．
有一天姑妈的牙疼得特别厉害。疼痛持续了三天。早上和晚上康拉丁都在他的上帝面前放点盐。最后他几乎相信是斯莱德尼·瓦什塔带来的牙疼。
After a time the aunt noticed Conradin's visits to the shed．
过了一段时间，姑妈注意到康拉丁总是去小屋。
'It's not good for him to play out there in the cold，' she said． She could always find a reason to stop Conradin enjoying himself． The next morning at breakfast she told Conradin that she had sold the chicken． She looked at Conradin's white face , and waited for him to cry or to be angry． But Conradin said nothing； there was nothing to say．
“在外面冷风里玩对他不好，”她说。她总是能找到一个理由不让康拉丁玩得开心。第二天早上吃早餐时，她告诉康拉丁她已经卖掉了那只鸡。她看着康拉丁苍白的脸，等着他哭或者生气。但是康拉丁一句话没说；没什么可说的。
Perhaps the aunt felt sorry． That afternoon there was hot buttered toast for tea． Toast was usually forbidden． Conradin loved it， but the aunt said that it was bad for him． Also， it made extra work for the cook． Conradin looked at the toast and quietly took a piece of bread and butter．
可能姑妈觉得内疚了。那天下午喝茶时上了热黄油面包。烤面包平时是不让吃的。康拉丁喜欢吃，但是姑妈说吃烤面包对他不好。而且，烤面包对厨子来说太费事。康拉丁看着烤面包，平静地拿了一片面包和黄油。
'I thought you liked toast，' the aunt said crossly．
“我想你喜欢烤面包，”姑妈生气地说。
'Sometimes，'said Conradin．
“有时候是，”康拉丁说。
In the shed that evening Conradin looked sadly at the empty corner where his chicken had lived． And， for the first time， he asked his ferret-god to do something for him．
那天晚上在小屋里，康拉丁伤心地看着母鸡曾住过的那个空空的角落。于是，第一次，他让他的雪貂上帝为他做一件事。
'Do one thing for me， Sredni Vashtar，'he said softly．
“为我做一件事，斯莱德尼·瓦什塔，”他轻声地说。
He did not say what he wanted． Sredni Vashtar was a god， after all． There is no need to explain things to gods．Then， with a last look at the empty corner， Conradin returned to the world that he hated．
他没有说出他的想法。斯莱德尼·瓦什塔终究是上帝，没有必要向上帝把什么事都说的一清二楚。然后，在看了那个空角落最后一眼之后，康拉丁回到了他憎恨的世界。
And every night， in the shed and in his bedroom， Con radin repeated again and again．
每天晚上在小屋和卧室里，康拉丁反复重复着那句话。
'Do one thing for me， Sredni Vashtar．'
“为我做一件事，斯莱德尼·瓦什塔。”
So Conradin's visits to the shed continued． The aunt no ticed， and went to look in the shed again．
因此康拉丁继续去小屋。姑妈发现后，又去小屋察看。
'What are you keeping in that locked box？' she asked．' I'm sure you're keeping an animal there． It's not good for you．
“你在那个锁着的箱子里养了什么？”她问。“我肯定你在那儿养了一只动物。这对你不好。”
Conradin said nothing．
康拉丁一言不发。
The aunt searched his bedroom until she found the key to the box． She marched down to the shed． It was a cold afternoon， and Conradin was forbidden to go outside． From the window of the dining－room Conradin could just see the door of the shed． He stood and waited．
姑妈搜他的卧室，最后她终于找到了那个箱子的钥匙。她冲向小屋。这是一个寒冷的下午，康拉丁被禁止到外面去。从餐厅的窗户那儿康拉丁刚好能看见小屋的门。他站着等着。
He saw the aunt open the shed door． She went inside．Now， thought Conradin， she has found the box． She is opening the door， and feeling about inside the box where my god lives．
他看见姑妈打开小屋房门进去了。现在，康拉丁想，她已经找到了箱子。她正在开箱子门，正在我的上帝居住的箱子里面摸索。
'Do one thing for me， Sredni Vashtar，'said Conradin softly． But he said it without hope． She will win， he thought．She always wins． Soon she will come out of the shed and give her orders． Somebody will come and take my wonderful god away-not a god any more，just a brown ferret in a box．Then there will be nothing important in my life… The doctor will be right． I shall sicken and die． She will win． She always wins… In his pain and misery， Conradin began to sing the song of his god：